Graphophone attachment.



T. H. MACDONALD. GBAPHOPHONE ATTACHMENT.

APPLIOAT ION FILED SEPT. 23, 1911. I

Patentad July 22, 1913.

tlNlllEl) @TATES PATENT OFFME."

THOIVHKS I-I. MACDONALD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TOAMERICAN GRAPHOPHONE COMPANY, OF BR-IDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATIONOF WEST VIRGINIA.

noes as.

Specification of Letters Patent.

enarnornonn ATTACHMENT.

Patented July 22, 1913..

Application filed September 23, 1911. Serial No. 650,939.

ful Improvement in Graphophone Attach ments, which improvement is fullyset forth in the following specification.

My invention relates to graphophones or other talking-machines of thetype intended for dictation as well as for reproducing, particularlymachines of the type where there I is a single diaphragm which carriesboth the recording-stylus and the reproducing- .stylus, with means forthrowing either stylus into engagement to the exclusion of the other. Inusing such machines, it is usual to have one machine for the person whodoes the dictating upon the blank cylinder, and another machine for theoperatorwho transcribes the dictation from the recorded cylinder. In theuse of the latter machine,

9 there is liability to throw the recordingstylus into engagement, bymistake, when one desires to listen to reproduction, with the resultthat the recording-stylus will shave oifiand obliterate the record uponthe cylinder.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for preventingsuch unintentional use of the recording-stylus. My invention, then, maybe described as a rephones.

My invention consists broadly of means for eliminating, at will, thepossibility of using the recordingd'evice.

it My invention further consists of the par ticular construction andarrangement of the various features hereinafter set forth and claimed.

My invention Will-be bestunderstood by a reference to the annexeddrawings, which J cording eliminator for dictation grapho-' the rear(right hand) of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through theline IIIIII of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the mandrel with its cylindricalsoundreco-rd or blank, as the case may be.

2 is the feed-screw. I

3 is the casing ofthe carriage.

4 is the recording-stylus, and 5 is the reproducing-stylus, both carriedby the same diaphragm in the head 6,the reproducing- -stylus being shownin Fig. 1 as in operative engagement.

7 is the operating-lever, which serves not only to engage and disengagethe partial feed-nut from the feed-screw, but also to disengage therepro'ducingstylus and engage the recording-stylus (and vice versa) bymeans of the link 9, and other connections.

10 is the upright centering-arm carried by the carriage 3, forindicating the proper positions of adjustment of the controlling-lever7. To cause the reproducing-stylus 5 to be in engagement, the lever 7 ispushed backward into the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 1; to'causethe recording-stylus l to operate (while disengaging the reproducer) thelever 7 is pulled to the ex treme limit forward, into the position shownin dotted lines 7; while the intermediate position 7 of the leverdisengages both Styluses from the cylinder 1. All this is well known,and forms no part of my ii1ven tion, which consists of providing meansto prevent the lever 7 being thrown into the position indicated at 7,such means being capable of embodiment in various forms.

As a preferred embodiment of the elimination-device, or means, whichconstitute my present invention, I provide on the bracket-arm 10 a boltor plunger, or other similar device, adapted to be moved into the pathof the lever 7, to prevent putting the latter into position 7 (foroperating the recording-stylus), with means for locksaid bolt orshifting-device in its operative, and also in its inoperative, position.

More specifically, an arm 21, having a counter-sunk bore and atransverse aperture communicating therewith, extends laterally from thecentering-arm 10, and carries the shifting bolt and means for locking,

the same in its two positions of adjustment.

The shifting bolt comprises the stem 22 portion containing the twoannular grooves- (which lies snugly within the smaller portion of thebore of the arm),the enlarged 23' and 24:, and the enlarged head 25which issecured' (by screwin or otherwise) upon the bolt. The transationof a transverse bore 26 ipassing hori zontally through the arm 10. omfrontto rear. At the forward or inner end ofthis bore 26, is thehardened steel ball .27, adapted to engage either of the two ooves 23and 24; and in the outer end 0 the bore "is the screw 28; while thetension spring 29 is nterposed between the face of the screw and theball-aforesaid.

30 indicates a lug "extending rearwardly' from'the arm 10, and flangedto lie inthe path "of'the lever 7 and 31 is a set screw carried 10 thisflange, as an adjustable stop to limit te backward travel of the lever.

In the position indicated in Fig. 3, the

head 25 of the sliding bolt 22 has been shoved down to its limit, andthe spring 29 forces ball 27 into the inner groove 23, thereby lockingthe bolt in its protruded position. In this adjustment, the end of thebolt on tends into the path of the lever 7 (as indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 2) ;v and the lever 7 cannot be brought forward into therecording-position 7 (of Fig. 1). Under this adjustment, thetalking-machine can be used for reproducing alone, and cannot be usedfor recording. In order to restore the latter function, the head 25 ofthe sliding bolt is drawn out (the sloping walls of the groove 23forcing ball 27 rearward against the tension of spring 29) until thegroove 24 comes opposite the ball,.whereupon the spring forces thelatter forward into groove 24,and the bolt is thereby locked in itsretracted position. In this latter position, lever 7 can swing into allits positions, and

the machine is capable of recording as well as of reproducing.

It is readily understood that the elimination-device might be carriedupon the lever 7, so as to protrude into the path of the stationary arm10; or it might be located between any two relatively movable partswhich are shifted in changing from reproducing-position (orfrom neutralposition) into the recording-position. Further, other shifting devicesmight be'employed in place of the specific sliding bolt; other meansmightbe utilizedtorholdingtheboltinits two positions of adjustment,infact, the

balland spring might be omitted altogether,

and friction alone relied on to hold the shifting device in properposition. And other changes and transpositions will occur to personsskilled in this art.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a talking machine, the combination of two styles on a singlediaphragm, and a record tablet, with shitting mechanism for throwingeither style at will into operation, andv adjustable means forpreventing at will the movement of one of the styles into operativeposition while leaving the otherfree to be thrown into and out ofoperative position.

2. In a talking machine, the combination of a recording-style, areproducing style, and a record tablet, with mechanism shifting eitherstyle into operative position or both styles into inoperative position,and means adjustable at will-to prevent the recording style being throwninto operative position, while leaving the reproducing style free to bethrown into and out of operative position.

3. In a talking machine, the combination of a recording and areproducing style on a single diaphragm, and a record tablet, withshifting mechanism for throwing either style at will into operation, ashifting lever.

for operating said mechanism which in one position throws thereproducing style into and the recording style out of operation, in

another position throws the reproducing style out of, and the recordingstyle into operation, and in an intermediate pos1t1on throws both stylesout of operation, and means operated at will to limit the throw of saidlever between the operative position of the reproducing style and thesaid intermediate position, whereby the reproducing style is free to bethrown into and out of operative position and the recording style isprevented from being thrown into operative position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS H. MACDONALD.

Witnesses:

SOPHIE B. MACDONALD, Y MARGARET Mummy.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live centseaemhy addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washin ton D. C. v i

